Champions League Live Blog: PSV vs Arsenal
Hello and welcome to the Gooner Fanzine's Live Blog coverage of the Gunners trip to Eindhoven.
Why not join us for our coverage of Mikel Arteta's Gunners against the runaway Eredivisie leaders.
With the North Londoners and Peter Bosz's side already having qualified in first and second place respectively, the pressure is off both sides tonight.
Which means an irreverent Gooner Fanzine Live Blog is well worth your time...
Champions League matchday: PSV Vs Arsenal. Read @GoonerFanzine for our Live Blog now pic.twitter.com/ZDXRMSvz6H
— The Gooner (@GoonerFanzine) December 12, 2023
Arsenal’s starting XI Vs PSV pic.twitter.com/3eab2NnANW
— The Gooner (@GoonerFanzine) December 12, 2023
FT: PSV 1-1 Arsenal - And that's the final whistle with honours even after Eddie Nketiah's first half strike was cancelled out by Yorbe Vertessen's second half leveller in this dead rubber
Emile Smith Rowe gears up to come on with five minutes remaining and the score still PSV 1-1 Arsenal
Actually it looked like Kiwior got the final touch - either way it was offside alas
Arsenal have a well worked goal disallowed for offside. Odegaard's free-kick was nodded in by Gabriel who seemed to go a little too early. VAR checking now
Let's hope Saliba is ok. I'm sure many Gooners would have preferred if Rice and Odegaard did not have to make an appearance. And Benny Blanco for that matter too
It looks as if Rice has gone to centre-back to replace Saliba
Substitutes: Rice for Cedric, White for Saliba, Odegaard for Elneny on 62 minutes
50 - GOAL: PSV 1-1 Arsenal. Vertessen fires past Ramsdale who had no chance as the home side equalise five minutes after the break
And we're off again with PSV 0-1 Arsenal
Looks like Cedric got the assist for Eddie's goal - with the Lambeth-born striker showing a striker's instinct and an excellent touch to fire home
That Aaron Ramsdale has played well hasn't he...
HT: PSV 0-1 Arsenal (Nketiah 41)
Excellent save by Aaron Ramsdale from the lively Bakayoko
I've watched a lot of Eddie since he joined Arsenal as a 14-year-old and he has always shown an exemplary attitude and a superb work rate. It's always great to see Eddie do well in the first team as a former Arsenal Academy alumnus
Isn't it strange that Eddie Nketiah and Declan Rice were both released by Chelsea at the age of 14 - on the same day...
Well done Eddie Nketiah who grabbed his first ever Champions League strike to put Arsenal ahead at PSV moments before the interval
Ring Ring etc
41 - PSV 0-1 Arsenal: Eddie Nketiah fires home to put the visitors ahead after showing an excellent touch and finish
It's Eddie! Eddie Nketiah!!!!!
GOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!
Talking of Elneny's effort a short while ago I was in the Barcelona press box the night he scored his cracker for Arsenal in the Nou Camp. That was back in March 2016 - which seems like a very long time ago now. Six goals in 158 matches in total for Arsenal's longest serving player
'We All Follow The Arsenal,' sing the traveling Gooners at PSV, 'Over Land and Sea - and Leicester...' Btw did I ever mention I went to middle school with a girl called Ann Leicester
Elneny clips the post out of nowhere with PSV keeper Benitez struggling
Teze, Obispo, Mauro, Pepi and Vertessen were all drafted into the PSV side, while Dest, Boscagli, Til and De Jong dropped to the bench, while Veerman is absent with injury. Lang and Bella-Kotchap are also injured, while Lozano is suspended
It should be noted that PSV have also made changes. Five in total from their win over Heerenveen last time out
Did you know PSV have won 15 out of 15 games in the Eredivisie this season making them the only team in Europe's top 55 leagues with a 100 per cent domestic record. Yes, you probably did
Arsenal's front three Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard have only three Champions League starts between them this season prior to this evening
PSV's impressive Bakayoko unleashes a powerful long-range left-footed strike that flies narrowly wide. No wonder Premier League teams are interested in the Belgian international who now has seven caps. He also has 13 assists in all competitions this season
'Shall We Sing A Song for You' chant the travelling Arsenal support to PSV
Vertessen's header strikes the post and away as PSV dominate. Arsenal are being overrun in the transitions at the moment while their forward players can't find any rhythm
Leandro Trossard's free kick is headed wide by Kai Havertz. Well wide. Coming up to 20 minutes gone and it's still 0-0
As you would expect the home side are dominating. Arteta did the right thing selecting Saliba and Gabriel at the back for extra solidity against a very lively team in excellent form
You can hear the Arsenal support sing Jorginho's name at the Phillips Stadion
How did that stay out? Pepi pals the ball to Bakayoko who squares for Vertessen, whose effort is smothered by Ramsdale, before Gabriel makes a goal-saving block on Pepi's follow-up as the resulting corner comes to nothing. Well done Ramsdale
PSV Eindhoven have won just two of their nine European games against Arsenal (D3 L4). Peter Bosz's side have won their last two Champions League matches, as many as they had in their previous 22 (D9, L11)
And we're off...score predictions please - join the conversation on The Gooner Facebook page
A big banner the PSV home end says Make Some Noise. Incidentally if you've ever been in a nightclub in Eindhoven listening to hardcore Dutch Techno music at 4am the screech makes your ears bleed...
The teams are not. Not long now until PSV vs Arsenal in Eindhoven
Fun fact: Aaron Ramsdale makes his Champions League debut...
Mikel Arteta on TNT: Today we are going to face a really good side [I want to see] the same standards we have showed in the Champions League this season to win this game
Mikel Arteta on TNT: We've got a really heavy schedule and we've got to manage the loss of certain players - and we want to reward certain players. We want to finish this group in style
Keown on Ramsdale on TNT: He played the first four games of the season then loses his place through no fault of his own. I do feel sorry for him. It's a big night for him tonight
Speaking on TNT Arsenal legend Martin Keown said: Overall when you're juggling the demands of the Champions League to still maintain that high position in the Premier League is what it's all about.. the Premier League is where they want to make it happen...[making eight changes] is the right call. This is a good time for Arsenal right now
PSV will be looking to avenge their 4-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal back in September - which incredible was their only defeat of the season so far...
In total Arteta has made eight changes from the 1-0 loss at Villa at the weekend. Which is about right considering the Gunners have already qualified in top spot
As is the fit again Emile Smith Rowe
Interesting to note Reuell Walters, Lino Sousa and Ethan Nwaneri are all on the bench for Arteta's experimental side this evening in the Netherlands
William Saliba and Gabriel continue their partnership at the heart of the backline with Cedric returning to the defence. Jacob Kiwior has also been selected
Eddie Nketiah starts up front, with Leandro Trossard looking to impress in the starting line-up along with Kai Havertz. Reiss Nelson also starts, as does Mohammed Elneny in midfield
Jorginho captains the side with Martin Odegaard rested on the bench. As are fellow big hitters Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko
Both sides have already qualified so with the pressure off Arteta has chosen a much-changed side from the team that lost 1-0 to Aston Villa at the weekend.
The team news has dropped and unsurprisingly boss Mikel Arteta makes a number of changes for this dead rubber in Eindhoven
Hello and welcome to the Gooner Fanzine's PSV vs Arsenal Live Blog - or 'Hallo' as they say in Dutch...